Very Merry Christmas
by Little Dru
Summary: takes place a couple of months after After Life. None of what actually happened after that, happens in this story. It's Christmas and Buffy isn't in the Christmas Spirit; so Spike helps her.


Author: Kayla a.k.a. Little Dru  
  
Summary: Buffy's outta the Christmas Spirit; Spike helps her get into it. Cute and  
  
Fluffy Takes place a while after After Life, but nothing that happened in the series actually happened after that.  
  
Disclaimer: Not Mine. Joss is the Television God. I'm just the Television Whore who gets to play with them.  
  
Distribution: Take them... Don't care, just let me know. SpikezSlayer@aol.com  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"I've got no money." Buffy told herself over and over again as she sat out in the cold December night.  
  
Christmas was tomorrow, and the presents she got Dawn sucked. A t-shirt from wal-mart. Some CD she wanted and a necklace. Three measly gifts for a teenager.  
  
She'd been invited to a party at Xander and Anya's, but she didn't go. She wasn't exactly in the Christmas mood. Not this year.  
  
She had tried to get jobs. Went to interview upon interview but no one needed help, or she wasn't qualified. Her mother would've been so disappointed.  
  
"What are you doing out here, love?" Spike asked coming and sitting beside her.  
  
"I didn't feel like partying. Why are you here?" Buffy asked. Her voice was sad, but friendly. Spike had become a really great friend. She felt she could tell him everything, and he was okay with that. He just hid the fact that he wanted more, and she did a good job on her end as well.  
  
"Not all of us were invited to the jolly occasion."  
  
"You weren't invited?" Buffy asked. She thought they had all accepted Spike into the Scooby Gang.  
  
"No. It's Harris, he wouldn't invite me into his home." A silence passed between them before Spike spoke again. "We should have our own little party."  
  
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I brought presents. We can make hot chocolate. Have our own little party. Whaddya say?" Spike stood up.  
  
Buffy nodded and took the hand that he offered to help her up. Then they headed into the house.  
  
Spike made his way around the kitchen to find the hot chocolate mix and the teakettle. Buffy got out the 1/3 full back of mini marshmallows.  
  
"After this bag, I don't think we'll be having anymore mini marshmallows." Buffy said getting out the mugs.  
  
"Why's that?" Spike asked pouring water into the teakettle and setting it on the stove.  
  
"I can hardly pay the bills. I can't buy mini marshmallows."  
  
"No one would hire you?" Spike leaned against the counter facing Buffy.  
  
"No." Buffy said ashamed.  
  
"Have you ever worked at the Magic Box?"  
  
"Ha!!!" Buffy laughed. "I couldn't stand being around Giles that long!"  
  
"Could you stand being around me for that long?" Spike asked.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"As a heart attack."  
  
"Yes. I could stand to be around you. I just don't understand..."  
  
"You could work for me. With me."  
  
"What? How?"  
  
"I'm feeling the need to help people. Angel is helping me start a business like he's got going on... of course it won't have such a poncy name as Angel Investigations... but it'll help people. You and me could be a team." Spike explained dumping the chocolate mix into the cups and putting marshmallows in them.  
  
"Again, I ask... are you serious?" Buffy raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Yes, I'm serious. Think about it, love. You don't have to give me an answer right yet. I just thought you could use the money."  
  
Buffy was silent for a moment before the teakettle whistled. Spike poured the water into the mugs.  
  
"I'll do it." Buffy said.  
  
"You will?"  
  
"Yeah. What else am I qualified for? You know? And where else will I find someone who I work so well with?"  
  
Spike smiled. "I bought this small place where we can set up shop. Dawn can even be the secretary if she'd like to earn her own money."  
  
Buffy beamed. "Thank you, Spike!"  
  
"Anything for you Buffy." Spike said  
  
They were both quiet, drinking their hot chocolate. Buffy was finally in the Christmas spirit.  
  
"Oh! Buffy jumped up and ran upstairs.  
  
Spike looked after her strangely. He hoped she didn't see what was in the living room. When Buffy came back downstairs she had a large wrapped gift in her hands. She smiled proudly as she sat it down on the island.  
  
"Now don't tell anyone that I got this for you because I told them I had no money to get them something. But I saw it in the store and had to get it for you." Buffy explained.  
  
Spike just looked from her to the present like he couldn't believe it.  
  
"Open it!" Buffy laughed.  
  
Spike tore the paper carefully. It had been years since he'd gotten a gift. Centuries even.  
  
Underneath the comical Santa clause-wrapping paper was a 32" color TV with a VCR attached.  
  
"Now you don't have to watch that bird-sized, black and white television. Or miss your TV. Shows cuz you sleep during the day."  
  
"Thank you." Spike stared at the TV as if it were almost as beautiful as Buffy.  
  
"Don't be too happy about it." Buffy said sadly.  
  
"No, pet, I love it!" Spike walked over to Buffy. "No one's ever gotten me anything before. I... I... Thank you." He said giving her a small hug. He didn't know if a bigger one would overstep the 'just friends' limit he made her believe they had. He got the answer when she hugged him tighter.  
  
"C'mere, love." He took her hand and led her into the living room. "Close your eyes." He instructed, which she obeyed. Spike left her side to plug in some things in.  
  
He came back over and took her hand again. "Okay," he said. "Open them."  
  
Buffy's eyes slowly fluttered open and then her face lit up. "Oh my God! I love it!" Buffy said almost crying. Earlier when Buffy was outside, Spike had snuck in and put up a Christmas tree. Then he put a bunch of gifts under it that he bought for Buffy and Dawn, even some that Buffy could give to Dawn. He had strung lights around the ceiling. The white lights lighted up the whole living room.  
  
Buffy hadn't ever seen anything so beautiful since that year it had snowed. "You did all this?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah. If you don't like it, you can take it down." Spike tried to play it off like it was no big deal. He was embarrassed because no one ever liked anything he did. He wasn't used to it.  
  
"No! Leave it. It's wonderful."  
  
"Thank you." Spike said modestly. "There's -uh- box with things to hang on the tree. You can hang them up with Dawn if you want.  
  
"Will you help me?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Don't you want..."  
  
"I want you to help. Besides, Dawn won't even know that she could've helped."  
  
"Okay." Spike agreed. He went over and got the box and opened it and they began decorating the tree.  
  
Buffy took out a pink ball and Spike handed her a hook to put on the ball.  
  
"Did you like Christmas when you were a boy?" Buffy asked.  
  
"From what I remember, I did." Spike said getting out a white ball and putting a hook on it. "I was the youngest of five kids, and the only boy." He hung the ball on the tree.  
  
"Really?" Buffy asked scrunching her nose. That was his second face of hers. The first being that pout.  
  
" 'Fraid so. Adelaide, Sarah, Grace, Desi, and me." Spike smiled and laughed a little. Buffy looked at him in question. "My sisters always bought me girlie things because they knew that if I didn't want them, they could always take them back. So I'd get dresses and hairpins. All I was left with was a scarf that my Mum used to knit me every Christmas." Spike explained.  
  
Buffy laughed. "I do that with Dawn.  
  
"It's centuries old, love." Spike said handing her a white ball already hooked. Buffy tried to ignore the tingling she felt in her hand when it brushed against his.  
  
It took them 20 minutes to decorate the whole tree with pink and white balls, silver ribbon, silver tinsel, and white chase lights.  
  
Buffy stepped back to admire their work. "Wow, it's gorgeous." Buffy sighed.  
  
Spike was about to say that the tree couldn't even shine a light to her beauty, but he was interrupted by a knock on the door.  
  
Buffy answered the door and there stood the rest of her friends with brightly wrapped gifts and containers with food.  
  
"We brought the party to you..." Willow walked in "...but looks like you've already got a party going." Willow smiled at Spike. He smiled back shyly.  
  
"What's he doing here?" Xander asked coming into the house.  
  
"That's rude." Anya said. She had finally got this being rude thing down. Why couldn't Xander with Spike?  
  
Suddenly Spike was feeling very uncomfortable. He didn't like being around Xander anymore. He had tried and tried to be nice to the Whelp because of Buffy, and honestly he wasn't really a bad kid... but he made it so hard to be nice to. He didn't want to ruin their holiday, and Buffy was in such a good mood. Him being there with the Whelp would probably turn out bad.  
  
"I didn't know Vampires celebrated Christmas." Xander said sarcastically.  
  
"Look what Spike did!" Buffy beamed waving her hands about the room.  
  
"It looks really nice." Tara smiled at Spike who nodded his thanks.  
  
"Did you steal it all?" Xander asked.  
  
Spike swallowed the smart remark he wanted to say.  
  
"I think I'm going to be leaving." He said to Buffy who nodded sadly. She walked over to him and hugged him.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered.  
  
"Anytime, love." Spike patted her back lightly. He couldn't believe she was hugging him in front of her friends. The look on Harris' face was absolutely priceless.  
  
Spike nodded to the rest of the Scooby Gang, patted Dawn on the head and went outside.  
  
"Xander that was completely uncalled for!" Buffy started. She held up her hand when Xander started to say something. "Spike is trying so freakin' hard to be good, he's even being civil to you. But you just keep being awful to him. Why can't you just hold a conversation with him? Is it that hard?" Buffy asked with disgust written all over her face.  
  
"I'm going to go apologize." She told the rest of her friends as she grabbed her jacket, and Spikes from the coat rack and went outside.  
  
She didn't have to go far. Spike was sitting on her porch swing that her mother had put in last year. Buffy smiled when she saw him and walked over and sat down next to him. She handed him his coat.  
  
"Thank you." Spike said taking it and putting it on.  
  
"I'm sorry about Xander."  
  
"It's not your fault, love. I just didn't want to start anything so I left."  
  
To his surprise Buffy sat closer and leaned her head on his shoulder. He just started to rock the swing back and forth. While they swung, Buffy thought about Spike. He was a friend, but would she really mind if they were something more? Sure, sometimes he could be a big pain in the behind. But then he did sweet things like what he did tonight, and it made her feel all warm and tingly about him. Then sometimes she wanted to beat him senseless, and others she wanted to kiss him until his eyes crossed.  
  
She sighed. Now or never she told herself.  
  
She sat up and looked up. "Look, it's mistletoe." She whispered.  
  
Spike looked up then back at her with question in his eyes.  
  
"No there's n...."  
  
She never let him finish. She pulled his face to hers and covered her mouth over his. Spike hesitated at first, but then put all he had into the kiss, and it was a lot. He had spent a year hanging on to the thought that one day he'd get to be kissed by her.  
  
Spike pulled back because he knew that Buffy would need air soon. Her lips were red and swollen for the kiss. They just sat there looking in each other's eyes.  
  
Spike smiled like a little boy. "There wasn't any mistletoe up there, love." He joked.  
  
"Jeez, pretend much?" Buffy rolled her eyes.  
  
"No." Spike said seriously. "I know you probably don't want to hear it, Buffy, but I still love you just as much as I did before. Maybe more." He smiled a little smile.  
  
Buffy gently wiped a piece of hair that he was now wearing curly off of his forehead. "I know." She smiled. "That's why I wanted to tell you something." She said and reached inside her jacket to get a little box out. "Here." She said giving it to him.  
  
He looked at her with confusion, but took the box. He pulled at the small white ribbon until it came loose then slowly lifted the top of the black box off. Inside was a small piece of paper that was folded. He took out the paper, setting the box on his lap, and unfolded the paper. In Buffy's neat, cursive handwriting, were the words, 'I Love You'.  
  
Spike's mouth dropped open. If he actually had to breathe, he probably would've stopped and went into cardiac arrest. "Do... do you know what I am?" Spike asked, just in case, for some insane reason, she forgot he was a vampire.  
  
"Nope. And that makes me love you even more." Buffy said softly.  
  
"You love me?" He asked, still not believing.  
  
"Whoa, will this make you believe me?" Buffy straddled his lap and crushed her mouth to his and kissing him like there was no tomorrow. They were both panting when she pulled back.  
  
Spike's eyes were as wide as a deer about to get hit by a Mac Truck. He just nodded.  
  
"Good" Buffy smiled, sitting back down beside him. She laid her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her, hugging her tighter.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Spike." Buffy whispered.  
  
"Yeah it is, love. Very Merry Christmas." 


End file.
